I decided to do this experiment because every time I log on to TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube I see people talking about romance books. The covers always look so pretty, and people swoon over the stories. I am a romance hater. I think the genre as a whole is great, it’s just not for me. I don’t even really watch rom-com or anything like that. The only romance books I read tend to be queer. But every time I pass these books in the bookstore, I think “what if”? So, I picked out three books. Two books I have seen everywhere, and one book I picked because it looks like something I could maybe enjoy.

I want to clarify that I have no hate, prejudice, or hate against romance novels. My distaste towards romance is purely personal. Romance books have a stigma surrounding them that they are not “real literature” or some other bullshit, and I want to say that rhetoric is absolutely false. Romance is a brilliant genre. I just personally don’t reach for it or often find myself reaching for these stories. That is nothing against the genre it is just a personal preference.

TBR for the Experiment

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

This is the book I am most wary of. I hear people love this book or hate it. I feel like I will hate this book, but I will love to hate it. But, this is definitely the book I am most worried about reading for this experiment.

Prediction: 2 out of 5 stars

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

This is the book I chose because I am hopeful I will like it. I saw it in my Book of the Month options and knew I had to choose it because I love travel stories. Sure, this is a romance travel story, but it may just be up my alley. It just looks like a cute, summer read.

Prediction: 4 out of 5 stars

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Emily Henry is the queen of romance over on TikTok. After looking at her three most popular romances, I thought this would be the most successful. I have no thoughts about this book, but I feel it will be all eye rolls. But, I am willing to try it out.

Prediction: 3 out of 5 stars

Books Read and Ratings

If you want to see my TikTok video about this experiment, click here or watch it below.

Final Thoughts

Well, this was definitely very interesting. But, besides Book Lovers, my prediction were not far off. Sure, I rated One Italian Summer lower than I predicted, but it was not super far different than my guess for my feelings on it.

Genuinely I am just happy I did this experiment because it made me read Book Lovers and that was one of my favorite books of the year and one of my favorite (maybe my all-time favorite) romances.

I don’t think I am a romance lover, but I do think that I am more open to picking up books within the genre. I know what I like in romance and what I don’t, so that’ll make it easier when deciding what books to pick up. Also, I think I realized that it’s not the romance genre I struggle with, it is just the tropes it deals with. Like, if a fantasy book has the miscommunication trope, I am going to be super annoyed. Doesn’t matter the genre, it’s the trope that sucks. So, if a romance novel doesn’t have tropes I don’t like, then I will probably enjoy it.

I’m happy I did this experiment, but I don’t think I could ever read anything like The Love Hypothesis ever again as long as I live.